A Reason Why
by Lollipop456
Summary: One-shot. Kai questions Haji why he is suddenly being protective and nice to Riku. Haji answers him, but keeps one part of the truth to himself. Rated T for sensitive issues.


For Haji, there was nothing else to do so late at night. Like all Chevaliers, he had been rendered of the need to sleep and the need to eat. Normally, at this hour, Haji would go check to see if Saya was all right. It was only when he was passing by Riku's cart that he stopped in his tracks. Pushing open the door, as quietly as possible, Haji stepped into the cart and found Riku sound asleep on the seat. He seemed to be trembling though; this didn't surprise Haji, as they were in Russia and the temperatures were not exactly high.

Removing his coat, Haji placed it over Riku and soon the child's tremors stopped. He sat in the seat across from Riku and laid his cello case next to him. He wanted to keep an eye on Riku for awhile, make sure he was really warm enough and not coming down with a fever.

"You're different around him now."

Haji was startled to hear a voice, and turned towards it. He relaxed when he saw it was only Riku and Saya's brother, Kai.

"Ever since we arrived at the train station, you've been protecting him and doing nice things for him." Kai continued.

Haji shrugged. "Have I?"

"Yeah, you have. Now, do you wanna tell me the reason why?"

Haji hesitated, the last thing he wanted to do was worry Kai. Still, he was always honest and had no intention to stop.

"You remember that old woman that Riku helped at the station?" Haji asked.

"Yeah, of course."

"I have this feeling that she is not who she claims, and might be after Saya...or Riku."

Kai's eyes grew wide. "You think that old lady wants to hurt my brother?"

"I could be wrong, but until we leave this train, I prefer to keep an eye on him."

Kai folded his arms and shrugged. "But why would you want to protect him? I could do that just fine, and Red Shield is also here to protect everyone."

"My only wish in life is to protect Saya and ensure her happiness. I don't believe she would be very happy if something happened to Riku or to you. I choose not to protect you, Kai, because you're much older than Riku. If something were to happen, you'd be strong enough to protect yourself from your opponent. Riku would not."

"Okay, that answers one of my questions, but why are you being so nice to him? You're teaching him to play the cello, and the other day you carried him back to his cart when he fell asleep."

"If someone shows kindness to me, then I shall do the same."

"Huh?"

"When we returned to Okinawa, it was Riku who offered me a plate of food. He didn't know that I had no need to eat, but he was selfless in his thinking."

Kai gave a small smile. "Yeah, that's my bro. Always thinking about others. Hey, Haji, I'm sorry if I was being a pest. I was just curious."

"Of course."

"Well, I'm turning in. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Kai closed the door to the cart and Haji gave a deep sigh. He had been honest in part when he told Kai that he was being nice simply because Riku was nice to him. There was another reason, a reason that Kai would not understand.

Even when Haji was a child, he was always serious. His only moments of happiness was when he was around Saya, and even his meeting her was under rather dreadful circumstances. From the moment his parents sold him to Joel Goldschidmt, he found himself hardly able to smile and was constantly miserable. So much was happening to Riku now that Saya had begun to fight Chiropterans. If Saya was to be killed in this battle, God forbid; then Haji would not be the only one to suffer a great loss, so would Riku and Kai. Kai would be able to handle the grief easily due to his age, but not Riku. Grief was something that he would hardly be able to live with and Haji did not want Riku's childhood to be ruined like his was. He did not want him to become someone so angry at the world, someone unable to smile at anything but the passing kindness of others.

"You won't be like me, Riku. I won't let it happen to you." Haji whispered.


End file.
